Beneath the Exterior
by Maiden of the Heavens
Summary: Annette is a Hufflepuff and in her fifth year at Hogwarts, she is struggling with Potions. In order to help her, Professor Slughorn assigns a tutor. The tutor being none other then the cold and boarding Severus Snape. Can Annette form a friendship with the Slytherin, or will he be only her tutor? What will happen if Annette finds him to be more then just a friend?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome to my first ever Harry Potter fanfic. I do not own Harry Potter, just the plot for this story and any OCS. Reviews are most welcome, please leave one. –Maiden of the Heavens (MOTH) **

Chapter 1

Annette had hardly scratched the surface with her Potions essay, when the strong, gag-inducing smell of vinegar entered the common room of Hufflepuff House. She looked over at the scrawny and tiny first year that Jenna Baum, their House Prefect was leading into the common room. He had dark chestnut hair and freckles spackled across his face. She tried to her best to ignore the stench that the young first year was drenched in and struggled to drag her attention back to her Potions essay, if she did not get a good score on this essay, she would really be in trouble, and she would end up failing the one class she dreaded, the one class that she could not grasp.

She still struggled with Transfiguration and Charms, but the two classes that she exceled in was Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. Sighing in defeat, she put her quills back into their cases and corked her bottle of ink, with a flick of her wand, the parchment that hardly had a paragraph on it, rolled itself up. The fifth year Hufflepuff sighed and lay back on the couch in the common room, listening to the crackling of the fire as it popped and hissed in the hearth, and looking at potted plants that hung on the low ceiling.

She reached blindly on the coffee table for her Charms book; if she studied hard for Charms then maybe that class would stop being such a headache. The only thing that made her glad that tomorrow was Thursday was the fact that she had Ghoul Studies. Every Tuesday and Thursday, she had Ghoul Studies with Professor Haak, even though it was considered to be an extracurricular activity, Annette found it to be the class she enjoyed the most besides Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. The bell tolled loudly throughout the castle, it even echoed deep into the caverns of Hufflepuff House, Annette sighed and hauled herself off the couch, she had used up her lunch hour in trying to figure out her potions essay, and needless to say it seemed like a total waste of a good meal now.

She gathered her supplies and put them back in her satchel. She grabbed her timetable from off of the coffee table that sat in the middle of the chairs and couches and could hardly hold back a groan of disappoint and frustration, she had Potions after her Charms class with Professor Flitwick, she had already had Potions this morning right after breakfast, she swore that sometimes the fates were against her. Following Jenna Baum out of their House common room and into the noisiness of the kitchen, and the House Elves hard at work, as they joined the rest of the students in the crowded hallways and made their way toward Professor Flitwick's classroom.

"If you're really so worried about your Potions grade, why don't you ask Professor Slughorn if he could assign you a tutor?" Jenna suggested as they found their seats, and waited for the rest of the students to enter, they were streaming in like salmon.

Annette knotted her copper brown hair up into a loose bun, instead of it swaying down her back, she tried not think about how exhausted she looked, she could practically feel the bags under her olive drab green eyes. "You really think he would find me a tutor?" she questioned, just as Professor Flitwick waddled into the classroom, and began his tapping his wand against the podium for silence.

Jenna shrugged, "It wouldn't hurt to ask."

Annette nodded in reply and unrolled a fresh scroll of parchment and uncorked her bottle of ink, dipping her quill in, she began to take notes while Professor Flitwick started his lecture on the Concealing Charm.

She would get through this class, and then find some way to either avoid her second dose of Potions Class all together or suffer through it. She knew that avoiding the matter of probably failing the class, and that finding the solution to her problem would be better than faking an illness and going to the Infirmary.

The lower catacombs of Hogwarts were drafty and cold; Annette rubbed the fabric of her robes along the flesh of her goosebump covered skin, wishing she had remembered to grab a jumper while she was in the common room of her house. She had left Charms after Professor Flitwick had finished his lecture on the Concealing Charm and was busy answering questions from the students that were actually intrigued by the subject. Taking a deep breath, and struggling to stop her teeth from chattering, she stood outside the door of Professor Slughorn's classroom, she could hear his booming and cheerful voice, and the smell of ingredients brewing together. Trying her best to steel her nerves, she pulled open the door and walked inside.

Students from the Slytherin and Gryfinddor Houses were busily working away at a Befuddlement Draught; Annette carefully made her toward Professor Slughorn. The man was large and wide, but always seemed to be happy. He was nice to Annette, no matter how many times she struggled and ended up failing in creating the potion that was assigned. He was currently chatting with one of his male students, who from his green and silver tie, could easily be seen as a Slytherin. He had long stringy, greasy ink-black hair that went down to his chin, obscuring his face from view. He also seemed to be thin, rather gangly, maybe a little tall for his age of fifteen, a fellow fifth year.

Annette hesitantly cleared her throat; she could not help feeling nervous. "Professor Slughorn, may I speak with you?"

The Potions Master turned to face her and grinned. "Hello, Mrs. Negrescu. How may I help you?"

"I'm sorry for interrupting your class, Professor Slughorn…I was wondering if-if maybe you could assign me a tutor? I really don't want to fail your class." The Hufflepuff girl replied.

Professor Slughorn grinned and clasped a meaty and pudgy hand onto the scrawny boy's shoulder; he had just been talking too. "I'm sure, Mr. Snape, would not mind tutoring you. He is excelling in my class; he is one of my brightest students."

The fifteen year old boy looked up at Annette, his eyes were dark, nearly black. He was also very pale, with long and thin fingers, he brushed some of his string black locks out of his face to get a better look at the fellow fifth year he would be tutoring. "Meet in the library after dinner, we can start then." His tone sounded bored, as if trying to help with her worst subject was going to be a waste of his time.

"Okay," Annette smiled ever-so-slightly. She tried to ignore the snickers from James Potter and Sirius Black, the infamous pranksters at Hogwarts. "Thank you." She carefully made her way around a crowd of students, before she found the door.

Her cheeks flared pink, as she heard James Potter jeering toward Snape, "I can't believe you are so bad at getting a girlfriend that Professor Slughorn had to assign you a girlfriend." The cruel laughter of his fellow Gryffindors echoed out into the halls as Annette found herself in the safety of its silence, after the heavy wooden door slammed shut behind her.

She had a tutor, maybe there was some hope left for her dreadful Potions grade after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you all so much for putting this story on your alerts and whatnot, it is very much appreciated! I promise that this will not turn into a quick-dive-in love story, I hate those just as much as anybody. I apologize if anyone seems to be out of character. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. -Maiden of the Heavens (MOTH) **

Chapter 2

The fifth year Hufflepuff sighed almost happily as she wrapped her bumblebee colored scarf around her neck and rubbed her fingers together for warmth, she really should have remembered to grab her gloves. She rubbed her hands together again and blew warm air into where she had cupped, there were dirt smudges on her hands and cheeks, maybe a little in her hair, and defiantly imbedded in her fingernails. Herbology really let her relax and forget about all her troubles, at least for a little awhile. She really enjoyed the muggy heat of the greenhouses and smell of foliage and dirt.

"I hate Fanged Geraniums." Jenna muttered as she finally caught up with her fellow Hufflepuff. Her fingers were wrapped in gauze and bandages; her face was creased with anger and slight pain. "Nasty little things."

Annette shook her head, a smile stretching across her slightly chilled face. "I think they are adorable."

"Only _you_ would think that, that plants that bite people are _adorable_." Jenna retorted hunkering down into her black wool coat like a turtle. Her flame colored hair showing almost like beacon against all of their black attire, her cheeks beginning to turn pink from the cold. "Did Professor Slughorn help you?" her question came out muffled against her scarf. They were heading back to their House Commons room to unthaw before going to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Yeah, I only know his last name." Annette replied as they were finally greeted by the warmth of Hogwarts.

The Prefect of Hufflepuff House's Cambridge blue eyes gleamed mischievously, "Oooh, a boy. Maybe you two will fall in love…"

Annette rolled her drab green eyes. "Please…his last name is Snape." Jenna could be such a hopeless romantic at times; it was one things that Annette liked about her.

"Snape!" Jenna exclaimed after she tapped out Helga Hufflepuff on the barrel in the right way. "As in Slytherin?"

"Don't be such a spaz." Annette said, as she unbuttoned her coat and undid her scarf laying them on the back of the couches in the common room after the barrels had slid close behind her and Jenna.

"B-But what if he doesn't help you, what if he just makes your grade even worse! I mean, Severus Snape hangs around Lucius Malfoy…and Malfoy is a total womanizer!"

"If he tries to grab for my bum or any of my other lady parts, you will be the first to know." Annette promised as she switched Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology books in her satchel, for her Potions notes and textbooks. It would save time after dinner, not to have rush all the way back to her dorm and then run all the way to the library.

"Slytherins can't be trusted, Nettie." Jennie continued to argue as they made their way to the Great Hall.

Annette weaved her way through the crowd toward their House table, "Yeah and Hufflepuffs are marijuana junkies."

Rumors were always flowing around the school about the different Houses and how their occupants lived up to the name of their House. Didn't people know not to judge a book by its cover? Annette looked around and noticed Severus Snape writing furiously with a quill against blank parchment that was slowly building up with paragraphs. He always seemed so dedicated to his work, perhaps he would fit better in Hufflepuff then in Slytherin. She shook her head and turned her attention back to the table where it was beginning to fill with food.

She piled chicken and mash potatoes with gravy, and tried to concentrate on her meal rather then the failure she was going to her tutor. She was not meant to work with potions, maybe to grow the ingredients, but certainly not brew them. A spoonful of warm and buttery mash potatoes just met her tongue when she heard some clearing their throat, directly behind her.

She swallowed down the starch food project with the pumpkin juice that was in her goblet, and turned to look at Severus Snape. He was defiantly talker then her, maybe because he was lanky. Annette shook her head; she was used to being what her mother preferred to call Pixie-size.

"Are you done eating?" he questioned, his tone still had same bored tone to it.

She finished her goblet of pumpkin juice and smiled a little. "I'm all set."

She followed her fellow fifth year to the library where Madame Pince was busily putting books back into their proper spots. She scowled as the pair entered and they unloaded their school supplies. She opened her Potions book to the one they were on, and tried not to let out a sigh of frustration. It was Swelling Solution, why anyone would want to have to touch puffer fish eyeballs, she would never know.

Annette glanced over at Severus as he took the seat beside her and opened up his own potions book. The Hufflepuff glanced at the Slytherin before feeling guilt beginning to gnaw at her insides.

"I'm sorry; this is going to be a waste of your time. I don't know anything about potions. I am Potions-Stupid." She admitted drawing her drab green eyes back to her book, trying to look at Severus's scowling face.

"You are not stupid, you just don't understand potions." He said in response, "I can help you with that."

"I'm hopeless…you'll just going to end up running away in frustration." Annette replied, but Severus did not budge from his spot, instead he looked over at her. His dark pools meeting her drab green eyes.

"I don't understand why you need puffer eyes in the potion. I mean, I don't want to have to touch some poor fish's eyeballs." Annette's face scrunched up in disgust.

"Since puffer fish are creatures that are normally smaller in normal size, their ability to expand their size makes them a key ingredient for the Swelling Solution." Severus explained, trying his best not to talk to her as if she was a child.

"Oh…" Annette said and scribbled down the tidbit in her notebook, which was actually a leather-bound blank journal with lined pages.

"Do you know what the counter potion is to a Swelling Solution is?" he questioned, trying not look bored out of his skull.

"That would be a deflating drought." Annette answered, she felt somewhat proud of herself for knowing the answer.

Severus nodded. "See you are not 'Potions-Stupid', you simply just need them to be more clearly explained too you."

Annette smiled a little, "Your confidence in me is too much. I will end disappointing you in the end."

The lanky, greasy-haired Slytherin sighed, "You will pass Potions. Not with flying colors but you will pass it."

Annette looked over at Severus. "Could you help me with the Draught of Peace?"

Severus nodded, "Of course, it should not be an issue."

The Hufflepuff girl grinned. "Fantastic. I will see you tomorrow then in Slughorn's Potions classroom after my Herbology class. So that would be about an hour before supper. If you don't mind that is…"

Severus shrugged, "That will work with schedule too."

They both gathered up their satchels and supplies, leaving the library after about two hours of discussing the Swelling Solution and the major side-effects of it. The discussion and the notes that Annette took while Severus explained were going to be very helpful in completing her essay about the solution. She glanced over at Severus and could feel herself blushing just a little. He had walked her all the way back to her House, she did not even ask.

"Thank you for helping me and for walking me back." She said, trying not to feel nervous. She had never really talked to anyone of the male side of species besides her own brother. "You didn't have too."

Severus shrugged again, if he wasn't talking to her about Potions and their ingredents, he did not seem to talk very much at all. "I will see you tomorrow."

Annette smiled a little in reply, and once he was gone from view and the echoing sound of his shoes had stopped, she tapped 'Helga Hufflepuff" on the barrels and walked into the common room. Jenna was stretched out on a couch reading for Charms class.

Before she could say a word, Annette answered her overflow of questions that were soon to spring forth. "He was polite and did not try to make a move on me. I swear."

With that she plopped down into one of the arm chairs and pulled out her Potions essay on Swelling Solutions in order to finish it and hand it in a few days ahead of time.


End file.
